Invisible Hits is a column in which Tyler Wilcox scours the internet for the best (and strangest) bootlegs, rarities, outtakes, and live clips.
As their name suggests, Stereolab were one of the ultimate studio bands. Over the course of two decades and dozens of releases, the “groop” (as they often referred to themselves) stitched together a dizzying patchwork of influences, from krautrock, free jazz, and minimalism to electronica, exotica, and yé-yé. Their painstakingly crafted sound remains vibrant and inspiring, particularly on 1993’s Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements (recently reissued in expanded form) and 1997’s Dots and Loops. But Stereolab amounted to more than a series of intricate studio experiments. They were also a powerhouse live act from 1990 through 2009, when they went on “extended hiatus.” Stereolab returns to the stage later this month at Primavera Sound, with an extensive world tour to follow (including a stop at Pitchfork Music Festival in July). In anticipation of the comeback, let’s revisit a handful of their live highlights over the years.
In-Store at Rough Trade, London (November 1991)
Then a couple, Laetitia Sadier and Tim Gane formed Stereolab in 1990 from the ashes of McCarthy, the indie-pop band Gane had co-founded in the ’80s. Stereolab’s debut EP, Super 45, came out on their own Duophonic label in May of ’91, kicking off a feverish spell of releases and gigs. This late ’91 Camcorder capture of a cramped in-store performance at London’s Rough Trade shop is an intimate look at the band’s raw early days. Whereas their late-career shows were marked by a sometimes obsessively tight sound, there’s a rambling feel to this set, which is highlighted by the churning motorik glories of early standout “The Light Will Cease to Fail.”
Full Set at JC Dobbs, Philadelphia (November 1993)
With the addition of drummer Andy Ramsay, keyboardist Katharine Gifford, and guitarist/vocalist Mary Hansen in 1992, Stereolab’s “classic” lineup soon fell into place. It’s this version of the band that we see blasting through a 50-minute set in late 1993, casually blowing minds. Powered by Ramsay’s hypnotic beat, early single “Jenny Ondioline” stretches out well past the 12-minute mark, as the band rides a billowing, blown-out wave of Neu!-inspired beauty. They may look a little glum onstage, but the music is positively joyous.
“French Disko” on “The Word” (1994)
In spite of Stereolab’s then-obscure influences and Sadier’s Marx-inflected lyrics, the band soon found itself garnering attention outside of the underground—which led to some slightly awkward moments. Their 1994 appearance on the UK TV program “The Word” features the incongruous spectacle of go-go dancers shaking along to a revved-up rendition of the politically charged “French Disko.” Watch closely and you might catch Sadier rolling her eyes.
“Cybele’s Reverie” on “Later… with Jools Holland” (1997)
As the ’90s progressed, Stereolab traded some of their fuzz for more refined textures on albums like Emperor Tomato Ketchup and Dots and Loops. Recreating the sound live sometimes required extra hands. A string quartet as well as their frequent collaborator, the High Llamas’ Sean O’Hagan, join the groop for a confident and beautiful rendition of “Cybele’s Reverie” on “Jools Holland.” Hansen and Sadier’s vocals sparkle while the dreamy string arrangement glides by like a gentle breeze. Even as Stereolab moved away from traditional rock vibes, the band remained a captivating live act with a healthy sense of adventure.
“Metronomic Underground” at Cine Íris, Rio de Janeiro (August 2000)
If you’ve watched any of the above videos, you’ll know that the members of Stereolab weren’t exactly onstage dynamos, and preferred instead to let the music do the talking. But when they wanted to, they were certainly capable of transforming into a deeply funky party band. Check out this almost 10-minute “Metronomic Underground,” with an unstoppable groove punctuated by ecstatic guitar skronking from Gane. At the center of it all, Sadier and Hansen trade effortlessly cool vocal lines. Stereolab was dealt a cruel blow just two years after this clip was filmed, when Hansen was killed in a cycling accident. The band soldiered on through this (as well as Sadier and Gane’s breakup), but always with a crucial piece of its soul missing.
Full Set at Irving Plaza, New York City (October 2008)
“At the end of the band, Stereolab were as good as we ever were [onstage]—in fact much better than we were, very intense,” Gane told the Quietus in 2015. “I always judged it on intensity rather than playing well. From some point onwards, we never wavered.” For resounding proof of his statement, download NYC Taper’s stellar recording of a 2008 gig in New York, which took place shortly before the band went on hiatus. During a career-spanning set, Stereolab offer up a fantasia of rhythms and melodies that feels both freewheeling and focused. At the end of closing number “Jenny Ondioline,” Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox emerges with a wild keyboard part—a passing of the torch to one of the groop’s many disciples.
